Thermostat



June

Carl GKronmller June 14, 1938. C. G, KRONMlLLER 2,120,938*

THI.*.RMOSTA'1V Filed Nov. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwoentoc Carl GKI'Onmiller ki (i Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERMOSTAT Application November 19, 1934, Serial No. '353,589

14 Claims.

This invention relates to thermostats and particularly to thermostats utilizing a volatile fiuid thermal responsive element for operating a novel switching mechanism.

Due to present day transportation requirements, it is necessary to maintain even temperature conditions in moving vehicles such as airplanes, railway cars and busses. Thermostats including temperature responsive fluid actuated elements for operating switching mechanisms have been installed in such vehicles to control the temperature conditions therein but they have not proved satisfactory due to the operation of such vehicles through various altitudes with consequent changes in barometric pressure acting on the thermostats to render their calibrations inaccurate and also due to severe jolting, jarring and vibrating of the thermostats caused by the motion of the vehicles which renders the switching action thereof unreliable by causing vibrations to be set up in the movable contact arms of the switching mechanisms.

Therefore, the prime object of this invention is to provide a thermostat comprising a temperature responsive uid actuated element for operating a switching mechanism according to changes in temperature which is suitable for regulating the temperature of moving vehicles and which is not effected by changes in barometric pressure or by jolting and jarring of the vehicle.

Thermostats of this general character, using temperature responsive fluid actuated elements, are very accurate and maintain their initial calibraticn as long as they are subjected to the same atmospheric or barometric pressure condition as when they are initially calibrated. However, a thermostat of this .general character, when calibrated at sea level, would not be accurate when used at high altitudes and vice versa. Further, local changes in barometric pressure caused by changing weather conditions also have some effecton the calibration of a thermostat of this type to render it inaccurate. Since a thermostat of this general ,type may be used in places having different barometric pressure than that where the instrument is calibrated and since the instrument may be subjected to varying barometric pressure by reason of its use in moving vehicles or by reason of changing barometric conditions caused by changing weather conditions, it is also contemplated to` provide a thermostat of general utility which is not subject to these changes in barometric pressure.

Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide a temperature responsive fluid pressure-operated device or a pressure 'responsive device, generally, that is not rendered inaccurate by changes in atmospheric or barometric pressure acting thereon.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide a volatile fluid thermostat or pressure responsive device embodying a double bellows construction whereby the eiiect of changes in atmospheric or barometric pressure acting thereon is reduced to a practical minimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a thermostat or pressure responsive device that may be adjusted to and locked in an oil position whereby changes in temperature or pressure acting thereon will not operate the thermostat or pressure responsive device.

A further object is to provide a novel adjusting and indicating means in a thermostat of the class described.

A still further object is to provide a novel adjusting and indicating means in combination with a locking means `whereby a thermostat or pres-, sure responsive device may be adjusted or locked in an offposition by a single control means.

Another object is to provide a switching mechanism that is positively moved from one position to another by a novel snap action means whereby jarring and jolting of the switching mechanism will not aiect the operation of the switching mechanism.

A further object is to provide a snap action switching mechanism with means to insure movement of the switch arm in case the switch arm should be stuck or held in one of its shifted positions by failure of the snap action means.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical side elevational view of the thermostat looking from the left in Fig. 2.but showing the cover and the electric switch mechanism in section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view with the corner remo-ved and the temperature responsive means shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the cover removed;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view looking from the right in Fig. 2 with the cover removed and showing the temperature adjusting means and a modification of the temperature responsive means in section;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view looking from the right in Fig. 2;

Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are plan views of a portion terial such as Bakelite to which the various' parts are secured and by which the instrument may be secured to a wall or like structure. A support ci' insulating material is shown at l i and supports a plate l2. The plate l2 and support il are secured to the base l@ by means of screws i3 which screws also act as electrical conducting means from the plate l2 to suitable binding posts located on the bacia of the base lli, lli designates another plate similar to the plate i2 but spaced rearwardly therefrom. The plates l2 and i@ support, respectively, magnets l@ and l5. The plate M and magnet i5 are secured to the base l@ by means of a screw il and the magnet it is secured to the plate l2 by mea is o a screw l@ cooperating with a nut The screws il' and i8 have abutments l5 and 2@ respectively located at the inner ends thereof. Screw'll aiords an electrical connection between the plate id and a suitable binding post located on the back of the base iii.

Secured to the plates ll and l2 by means of rivets 2t are spring arms 22 and respectively. rlhese spring arms 22 and 23 have contacts 25 and 2t and upwardly extending portions to engage the abutments l@ and 2li to limit the inward movement thereof. Located between spring arms 22 and 23 is a conducting spring switch arm 2l, having abutments 28 engageable alter nately with the abutments i@ and 2@ and contacts 2e engageable alternately with the contacts and liti of the spring arms 22 and Abutment levers lili and lll are provided in spaced relation on either side of the spring switch arm 2l', the abutment levers and il and the spring switch arm 2l being secured to an actuator block 33, made of insulating material, by means oi screws 32. An electrical connection is made between the flexible switch arm 2l and a binding post by means of a flexible lead wire 36 being connected to one screw 32 and the binding post The forward plate l2 has a forwardly extending ilange 3i? to which is riveted an insulating shield 38 by means oi rivets 3l.

39 designates a knife edge supporting member secured to the base ill by means oi screws il@ and having downwardly extending knife edges di. A lever 43 is provided with concavo-conveis portions 32 to be engaged by the knife edges Gi and an upwardly extending ange @nl to which the actuator block 33 is secured by means of screws 45. On the lower side of the lever 13 there is suitably secured an abutment :il adapted to rcceive a knife edge t8 which is held in place by a bolt head i9 of an upwardly extending bolt Sill. The bolt 5U is screw-threaded into a grooved nut 5l which is secured to the lower end of a tension spring 52 and the upper end oi the tension spring 52 is secured to a temrature adjusting means generally indicated at 53.

Also, on the lower side of the lever 43 is a concave portion :'il adapted to receive a plunger point 55 of a temperature responsive means generally designated at The forward portion or" the supporting member Sii is provided with a slot 4E through which the lever cli-3 extends to provide stops to limit the movement ci the lever 43.

From the above, it will be seen that the tension spring 52 urges the lever 43 in a clockwise direction against the bottom of the slot 46 and that the temperature responsive means 56 urges the aisance lever in a counter-clockwise direction against the top of the slot it as viewed in Fig. l. Assuming that the temperature acting upon the temperature responsive means is relatively high, thc lever it is maintained in a counter-clockwise di rection against the tension of the spring ii2 as seen in Fig. l to urge the movable contact 2@ oi the switch arm 2l against the contact 25 and the movable abutment against the abutment itl to complete an electric circuit from the screw il, through plate spring arm contact 25, contact switch arm screws and lead wire to binding post dii. Current is also carried from screw lil to switch arm 2l through the abutments lil and 'When the temperature decreases, the tension spring 52 overcomes the force oi the temperature responsive means tid and moves the lever lil in a clockwise direction from that position shown in Fig. l. to move the contact 29 away from the contact and the abutment 28 away from the abutment lil. However, the switch arm 2l is located in the magnetic heid of the magnet l5 and this movement is retarded until sufficient spring force has been built up in the spring switch arm 2l to overcome this magnetic holding eiect of the magnet i5. When this magnetic effect is so overcome, the tension in the switch arm 2l caused by clockwise movement of lever @il will snap the contact 2Q and the abutment il@ into engagement with the contact and the abutment 2li completing a circuit from the screws i?) through plate l2, spring arm 2S, contact 2G, contact 2t?, switch arm 2li, screw and wire il@ to binding post Here again, current is conducted from plate l2 to the switch arm 2l' by means of the screw l@ and abutments and 2li. Due to the fact that the switch arm 2l is magnetically held in one position until suicient torce has been built up to move it to another position, jolting and jarring of the thermostat will not cause the switch arm to vibrate between its contacts.

if, for any reason, the contact should become stuck to the contact Z5 or the abutment 22 become stuck to the contact lil or the magnetic lields or" the magnets iii and iti be too powerful so as to prevent the above normal movement of the contact 29 and the abutment 2d to the right, iurther movement oi the lever i3 in the clockwise direction will cause abutment arm 30 to engage switch arm 2l to positively move contact 2S into engagement with contact 26 the abutment 2li into Contact with the abutment 20. This insures positive movement of the switch arm 21 to make and breal; the contacts.

Upon an increase in temperature, the temperature responsive means 5E will overcome the tension in the spring 52 to move the contact 29 into engagement with the contact 25 and the abutment 2li into engagement with the contact i9 in the exact reverse manner as pointed out above and a complete description of this reverse operation is therefore not considered necessary.

A vital feature of this invention is the provision of a novel temperature responsive means 56 which is not affected by changes in barometric pressure and which comprises a volatile fluid containing chamber 5l which is secured by means of bent over anges 58 to a plate 559 which is se cured by means of a screw G0 to the forward end of the knife edge supporting member and by means of screws 6i to the base l. Soldered to the inside of the chamber i'l' adjacent the top thereof is an annular plate 62 and soldered to the underside of this annular plate 62 is the up-` per end of a bellows 63. Soldered to the inner periphery of the annular plate 62 is another annular plate 64, having adownwardlyextending annular shoulder 65 to which is soldered atubular guide and stop member 66. At the inner portion of the plate 64 is soldered the upper end of a bellows 61 of much smaller diameter than the bellows 63. Soldered to the lower ends of the bellows 63 and 61 is a movable plate 68 which is riveted and soldered to a vertical plunger 69. The spaces enclosed by the casing 51 and the bellows 63v and by the bellows 63 and 61 are, therefore, hermetically sealed. 'I'he vertical plunger 69 has a longitudinally extending bore 10- which is normally closed by means of a screw-threaded plug 1 I. Secured over the up er end of the plunger 69 so as to enclose the plug I is a cap 18 which has formed. integral therewith the plunger point 55. i

By removing the plug 1|, a charge of volatile fluid may be inserted through the bore 1l) into a chamber formed by the volatile fluid containing' chamber 51, the annular plate 62, the bellows 63 and the movable plate 68. After the required amount of volatile uid has been inserted in this chamber, the chamber is hermetically sealed by inserting the plug 1I to close the passage 10. An increase in temperature of the air surrounding the' volatile fluid containing chamber 51 causes the fluid contained therein to expand and act against the movable plate 68 to move the plunger 69 upwardly to actuate the switching mechanism as pointed out above.

If the bellows 61 were not present, atmospheric or barometric pressure would exert a downward force on the upper side of the movable plate *58 'and would be effective upon the annular area tween the bellows 63 and the plunger 69. area is substantially the same as the area fected by the volatile fluid and changes in barcmetric pressure would counteract the action ci the volatile fluid contained in the chamber 51. increase in barometric pressure would retard the movement of the plate 68 by the expansion of the volatile fluid and destroy the calibration the thermostat While a decrease in barometric pressure would hasten the action of the volatiie uid also to render the calibration of the thermostat inaccurate. g

By inserting the relatively small bellows 61 the device as above described, changes in barometric pressure will affect the movabie plate 68 only on the annular area defined by the bellows 61 and the the plunger 69 since the space between the bellows 63 and 61 is hermetically sealed from the atmosphere. This area is extremely small as compared to the area subject tothe pressure of the volatile fluid whereby any changes in baro--A metric pressure acting upon this extremely small annular area ll be practically negligible and will not affect the calibration or operation of the thermostat.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated ay modi ed form of temperature responsive device wherein I use a remote control system. The bellows structure is the same as described above but the volatile fluid containing chamber 51 has'an opening made in the bottom thereof and a plug 19 is riveted andsoldered in this opening. The plug 19 is adapted to receive in agas-tight mannerk a. capillary tub-c which is secured to a remote control bulb 82 and the plug 19 is also adapted to receive a protective covering 8| for the capillary tube 88. The operation of this modification is the same as the one pointed out above except that the extend volatile fluid is volatilized in the bulb 82 and the pressure is transmitted therefrom to the chamber 51 by means of the capillary tube 80. f Although I have disclosed a volatile iiuid temperature responsive device, it is within the con- 5 cept oi' `this invention to include a pressure-actuated devce wherein changes in pressure from some pressure device may be transmitted into the casing 51 by means of suitable connections.

The means 53 for adjusting the spring 52 to deermine at which temperature the thermostat will become operative is supported by means of a support 85 which is secured to the base lil by means of screws 86. This support 85 extends forwardly and supports the upper end. of a column, 8l which is secured at its lower end into the knife edge supporting member 39. as seen in Fig. mounted in an opening in. t? support 85 is a shaft 88, having a. shoulder 89 abutting relation. with the support 85, a c gated por tion 9U, e. screw-threaded portion 9i a squared 92. Mounted against rotation on the ed portion 98 of the shaft 88 a cam 93 held in place by means of a n t 99 screwon the screw-threaded po on 9i of 88. Secured to the shalt beneath t 85 by means of a pin 95 a helix which' cooperates with a helix nut. 91, i the bottom of the helix out i which is attached the 'u E. The helix nut @l ri porting member 85. By t "i the shaft 88 is rotated, will rotate therewith by reason l since the heiix nut @l is bei... f A.elia nut 91 will move ec'tio carrying with 99 and the same time 40 adjacent downwar @l5 is an M2 which e ad is plvoted to forward dit of the supporting member S5 y mf M13. The pin I0! ci the c wnw .g ange 95 engages a i" le *o the 'G62 so that upward and downward slideable member S9 causes os ment ci' lthe arm |02 about its pivot "cated dial |05 is secured to 'the ici the ai i M2 by means ofscrews ttc and i" graduated dial I05 cooperates with G01 in. le cover lill! to indicate in` 'tensio i the spring 52 or directly temperature which the thermostat will bec e operative to move the switch arm 21. Rotating movement to adjust the adjusting mechanism 53 is imparted to the shaft 88 by means of a key i09 engageable with the squared. portion 92 of the shaft 88. y v

A latch arm i Il is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the column 81 and is held in place by means of a nut H0. This latch arm ill is urged in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3 by means of a spring I l2 which engages the latch arm iii and the supporting member 85. On the f outer end of the latch arm Ill is a proection H3 70 which engages at various adjustments in notches H4, H5, H6, and H1 in the cam 93. These notches are annularly spaced to correspond to the graduations of the dial |05 and in the exemplication shown, the latch projection H3 eniiange gages in the notch `i id when the vgraduation. Wi appears in the opening lill oi the cover itil. En like manner, the notches llili, M6, and Si? correspond directly with the graduations Sii, Gd and; off.

'By referring to Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9, it is seen that notches Sie and liti have 'tapered sides and that notches iid have their sides nearesil to the notches liti and lil@ tapered and their adjacent sides not so ta ered so clockwise movement of the cam as seen in d is prevented and counter-cloclwise movement of the cam S3 as seen in Fig. 9 is prevented. Therefore, these notches Ilifl and i determine the amount of rotation of the cam and consequently the range of adjustment of the adjusting means 53. The 'tapered sides of 'the notches eject the latch projection i i3 therefrom upon rotation of the cam shows the parts in position for operation at 74, Fig. 7 at 68, Fig. 8 6d" and Fig. 9 at orf.

it is obvious to anyone skilled in the art that the number of notches the cam Q3 and the number of graduations on the scale iiih may he increased or decreased at will according to the desired adjustment of the instrument.

The arm lil?? extends downwardly and has an abutment i2@ which engages a pin i2!! located on the upwardly extending ilange id oi the lever When the adjusting means 53 has so been adjusted to move it to on position, the abutment iliiii engages pin. 02H as shown in Fig. 5 which prevents counter-clockwise movement of the lever G3 as viewed in Fig. 5 so that when the temperature aiecting the temperature responsive means 55 decreases, the spring 52 cannot become operative to move the switching mechanism.

A brief description of the operation of the device is as follows: Assume that the thermostat is hooked up to a heating device in such nlanner that when the contact 29 oi the switch arm 2li engages the contact 25, the heating device will be shut oit and that 'when the contact 2@ engages the contact it the heating device will be turned on. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. "i, the .device is adjusted to respond to a 'temperature oi 68 and the temperature acting on the temperature responsive means 5h is greater than 68, therefore the heating device is shut ofi. When the temperature falls below 68, the tension spring E2 overcomes the temperature responsive device 56 and moves contact 29 of the switch arm 2li into engagement with contact to complete a circuit to turn on the heating device to restore the temperature to 68. Lilre operation will occur when the device is set for 741 and for 60, the 74 position being shown in Fig. 4.

When. the adjusting means 53 is adjusted to off position, the abutment i263 engages the pin 2i which prevents counter-clockwise movement of lever 39 as viewed in Fig. 5 or prevents clockwise movement of lever 43 as viewed in Fig. l.. Since this movement of the lever 39 is prevented by means of the abutment 20, the contact 29 cannot move to the right to engage the contact 26 as viewed in Fig. i to close the circuit for turning on the heating device. Therefore, when the thermostat is adjusted to oi position, it cannot become operative to call for heat regardless of how low the temperature may fall.

From the above, it is seen that I have invented a novel thermostat that ls not rendered yinaccurate by` changes in atmospheric or barometric pressure acting thereon', that may be adjusted and locked in an off position whereby changes in temperature acting thereon will not operate aiadose the thermostat, that moves the switch with a positive snap action, that insu the novernent of the switch in case the swi" h should become stuck or held in any one oi its shiited positions and that provides a novel means 4or adjusting andindicating the adjustment of the thermostat.

While the apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred-embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preferred apparatus and that changes may be made therein without depa dg from the scope o the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

claim:

i. n a device of the character described, comeV prising in combination, a casing having an aperture therethrough, a movable wall in said casing, an actuating member associated with said wall and extending through said aperture into the surrounding atmosphere, a bellows surrounding said aperture and sealed to said wall whereby said casing, wall, and bellows form a pressure chamber, variations in pressure therein serving to move said wall, and a seal adjacent said aperture to preclude contact of atmospheric pressure with at least a portion of said wall.

2. En a device of the character described, comprising in combination, a casing having an aperture therethrough, a movable wall in said casing, an actuating member associated with said wall and extending through said aperture into the surrounding atmosphere, a bellows surrounding said Aaperture and sealed to said wall whereby said casing, wall, and bellows form a pressure chamber, variations in pressure therein serving to move said wall, and sealing means surrounding said aperture and associated with said wall to preclude contact or" atmospheric pressure with at least a portion of said wall.

3. Zin a device or" the character described, comprising in combination, a casing having an aper ture therethrough, a movable wall in said casing, an actuating member associated with said wall and extending through said aperture into the surrounding atmosphere, a bellows surrounding said aperture and sealed to said wall whereby said casing, wall, and bellows form a pressure chamber, variations in pressure therein serving to move said wall, and a second bellows surrounding said aperture and sealed to said wall but positioned interiorly of said first mentioned bellows with respect to said aperture whereby to form a seal to preclude contact of atmospheric pressure with a portion or said wall.

in a device ofthe character described, comprising in combination, a casing having an aperture therethrough, a movable wall in said casing, an actuating member sealed to said wall and extending through said aperture into the surrounding atmosphere, a bellows surrounding said aper ture and hence said actuating member and sealed to said wall whereby said casing, wall, and bellows form a pressure chamber, variations in pressure therein serving to move said wall and hence said actuating member, a second bellows sealed to said wall and to said casing adjacent and surrounding said aperture to form a hermetically sealed chamber co-axial with and interiorily positioned with respect to said pressure chamber whereby to preclude contact of atmospheric pressure with a portion of said wall, said second mentioned bellows being spaced from said actuating member whereby said actuating member may move in accordance with the movement of said wall in a substantially friction free manner.

5. A pressure operated switch adapted for use under varying external pressure conditions and subject tojolting and jarring comprising', a pressure actuated device having a member that is movable according to changes in pressure acting thereon, means associated with said pressure device to prevent the varying external pressure conditions from affecting the movement oi said movable member, said means comprising a sealing member to Vpreclude contact of atmospheric pressure with at least a portion of said pressure actuated device, a resilient switch arm operated by said movable member, contacts to be engaged by said resilient switch arm, magnetic means for resisting movement of said resilient switch arm until said resilient switch arm is suillciently flexed by said movable member to completely move said resilient switch arm with a 'snap action whereby jolting and jarring of the switch will not cause said switch arm to vibrate.

6. In a switching mechanism of the class described, opposed abutments, opposed magnets adjacent said abutments, opposed resiliently mounted contacts adjacent said abutments, means for varying the position of at least one of said contacts and its associated abutment simultaneously, a spring switch arm between said abutments adapted to be moved from one abutment to the other and held in shifted position by said magnets until suillcient energy has been built up in said spring switch arm to insure its movement from one abutment to the other and contacts on said spring switch arm to alternately engage said opposed contacts.

' 7. In a switching mechanism of the class described, opposed abutments, a magnet adjacent each abutment, a resiliently mounted contact adjacent each abutment, means for varying the position of at least one' of said contacts and its associated abutment simultaneously, a resilient member movable alternately between said abutments and adapted to be held against said abutments by said magnets, means i'or ilexing said resilient member to overcome the ei'iect of said magnets -to snap said resilient member from one abutment to the other and contacts on said resilient member to engage said resiliently mounted contacts.

8. In a switching mechanism of the class described, opposed abutments, a magnet adjacent each abutment, a resiliently mounted contact adjacent each abutment, a resilient membermovable alternately between said abutments and adapted to be held against said abutments by said magnets, means for flexing said resilient member to overcome the eiect of said magnets to snap said resilient member from one abutment to the other, and means to move said resilient member from one abutment to the other in case said first means fails to move said resilient member.

9. In a switching mechanism of the class described, opposed abutments opposed magnets adjacent said abutments, opposed resilientlyY mounted contacts adjacent said abutments, a resilient member movable alternately between said abutments and adapted to be held against said abutments by said magnets, means responsive to changes in a condition for flexing said resilient member to overcome the effect of said magnets to snap the resilient member from one abutment to the other, contacts on said resilient member tol engage said resiliently mounted contacts, adjusting means for determining the change in the condition required to move said resilient member from one abutment to the other and means associated with said adjusting means to lock said resilient .member against one of said abutments.

10. An adjusting and indicating means for an instrument operated in response to changes in a condition comprising, a rotatable screw and nut for determining the change in the condition required to operate the instrument, a cam rotated by said screw and having notches therein, means cooperating with said notches for determining the value of adjustment and a graduated indieating dial moved by said nut to visually indicate the value of adjustment, said notches and said graduations corresponding in value with each other.

11. A combined adjusting, indicating and locking means for an instrument operated in response to a condition, means for adjusting the instrument for determining the change in the condition required to operate the instrument, means operated by said adjusting means for locking the instrument whereby the instrument connot be operated by changes in the condition, means for indicating the value of adjustment and the locking of the instrument and detnt means for maintaining said adjusting means in any one of its adjusted positions.

12. A combined adjusting, indicating and locking means for an instrument operated in response to changes in a condition comprising, a rotatable screw and nut for determining the change in the condition required to operate the instrument, a member rotated by said screw having a plurality of detents therein, means cooperatingwith said detents for determining the value of adjustment and limiting the range of adjustment, a graduated indicating dial moved by said nut and means operated by said nut at one limit of the range of adjustment to lock said instrument whereby said instrument cannot be operated by changes in the condition, said graduaticns of the dial corresponding to the detents of the member to indicate the value of the adjustment and the locking of the instrument.

13. In a device of the character described, a casing, an element to be moved, means to move said element in response to pressure changes in said casing, means associated with said element to preclude external atmospheric pressure from ailecting said element, adjusting means movable through a given range of adjustment for determining the change in pressure required to move said element, and detent means associated with said adjusting means for maintaining said adjusting means in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions.

14. In a mechanism of the class described, opposed contacts, a magnet adjacent each contact, a resilient member movable alternately between said contacts andadapted to be held against said contacts by said magnets, means ior flexing said resilient member to overcome the eiiect of said magnets to snap said resilient member from one contact to the other, and means to move said resilient member from one contact to the other in case said first means fails to move said resilient member.

CARL G. KRONMIILER. 

